Manual labeling device

ABSTRACT

A labeling device for printing characters on a belt and the like. A body and a lever are pivotally connected with a spring normally urging them apart. A pair of closely arranged rotary members are provided with cooperating characters thereon having a space therebetween for receiving the belt on which the characters are to be imprinted by pressing. Means are provided for guiding the belt to the position between the rotary members for imprinting. A toothed wheel engages the belt to drive it in response to rotation of a drive wheel. The drive wheel is rotated only after the body and lever have been moved or pressed together. A threaded pin is rotatably and threadably received in the lever and has a head with an arm which operatively engages the drive wheel. When the lever and body are pressed together, the arm moves out of engagement with the drive wheel, and when pressure is released and the spring forces the body and lever apart, the pin and thereby the arm are pivoted in the opposite direction so as to engage and rotate the drive wheel and thereby the belt engaging wheel so that the belt is moved a distance equal to at least one character.

United States Patent Corte [54] MANUAL LABELING DEVICE [72] Inventor: Francisco Barcelloni Corte, Ruta Panamercana Kilm, 26, 300, Buenos Aires, Argentina 22 Filed: Aug. 20, 1971 211 Appl.No.: 173,456

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Jan. 28, 1971 Argentina ..233699 [52] 1.1.8. Cl.., ..l97/6.7, 101/18 [51] Int. Cl. ..B4lj l/30 [58] Field of Search ..l97/6.7; 101/18 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,181,679 5/1965 Stubbmann ..l97/6.7 3,272,301 9/1966 Craig ..l97/6.7 3,289,803 12/1966 Pedersen.... .....197/6.7

3,301,370 1/1967 Miller ..197/6.7

3,307,674 3/1967 Massen et al ..l97/6.7

3,354,999 11/1967 Bucalo ..197/6.7

3,587,810 6/1971 Alper ..197/6.7 3,633,722 9/1969 Bone ..l97/6.7

1451 Dec. 5, 1972 Primary Examiner-Edgar S. Burr Attorney-Molinare, Allegretti, Newitt & Witcoff [57] ABSTRACT A labeling device for printing characters on a belt and the like. A body and a lever are pivotally connected with a spring normally urging them apart. A pair of closely arranged rotary members are provided with cooperating characters thereon having a space therebetween for receiving the belt on which the characters are to be imprinted by pressing. Means are provided for guiding the belt to the position between the rotary members for imprinting. A toothed wheel engages the belt to drive it in response to rotation of a drive wheel. The drive wheel is rotated only after the body and lever have been moved or pressed together. A threaded pin is rotatably and threadably received in the lever and has a head with an arm which operatively engages the drive wheel. When the lever and body are pressed together, the arm moves out of engagement with the drive wheel, and when pressure is released and the spring forces the body and lever apart, the pin and thereby the arm are pivoted in the opposite direction so as to engage and rotate the drive wheel and thereby the belt engaging whee] so that the belt is moved a distance equal to at least one character.

8 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures MANUAL LABELING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION FIELD OF THE INVENTION AND DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART This invention relates to a hand operated stamping or labeling machine which is of a size that permits placing in a pocket or purse, and it more particularly relates to a belt or tape stamping machine which, has many advantages over known devices of a similar type.

Labeling or belt stamping machines have been known for many years, which devices have been made of metal and plastic. Such devices generally are composed of a combination of dials or wheels which are associated with radially positioned arms having type molds which correspond with characters in the other wheel; a channel is provided between them for the passage of a belt or strip to be stamped, the arms being operated at preselected positions, by a pressing device which is operated by hand or by means of a lever.

Various such devices have been known wherein attempts have been made to improve the type of action for the printing or stamping and to improve the mechanism for feeding the belt, tape and ribbon to the operating or printing station.

Improvements have been directed to making such devices which are of a small size to make them easily portable. Such improvements require simplifying'the mechanism while making the devices efficiently operative. Thus, the reduction in size of the mechanism requires a reduction in the number of parts and facilitation of assembly and operation.

Attempts have also been made to avoid drawbacks such as slipping of the belt or ribbon feeder, by use of a friction rim associated with a catch mechanism.

In seeking simplification, there have been provided mechanisms wherein operation and control elements are combined; for example, a device has been provided wherein the means for advancing of the belt or ribbon is controlled by the same means, as a spring, which works as the return means for the ribbon moving device. Such simplification, even though it succeeds in decreasing the number of moving parts, does not assure operative efficiency of the device and also complicates the assembly of such a spring and also requires accessories, such as limiting stops for the displacement of the feeding mechanism.

In another such device, the member operating the displacement of the catch wheel of the feeding device uses a gripper which is associated with the driving device. This wheel also requires the use of an elastic means which is capable of preventing the angular return displacement thereof.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a labeling or printing device which is manually operated and small in size which substantially avoids disadvantages of many prior art devices.

It is also an object of this invention to avoid the use of levers for operating the feeding device and also the use of springs for such a mechanism.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a labeling or similar device which substantially avoids slipping between the belt or ribbon and the feeding device therefor by use of a moving means which includes a toothed wheel positioned opposite an elastic element for supporting the belt or ribbon, the toothed wheel being secured to the drive wheel, the two wheels being unitarily mounted coaxially on a shaft.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a labeling device which includes means of operation for feeding the belt or ribbon to the operating station of the device, wherein no lever or springs are used, but rather uses a displacement member, which responds to the relative angular displacements between the body of the machine and a lever associated with it, said displacement member also acting as the driving element for the drive wheel, and at the same time being combined with it so as to avoid a displacement other than in the forward direction.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a labeling device wherein a return spring for the lever associated with the body of the machine is simple in design and operation, as it has a single function to fulfill and its assembly is independent from the rest of the device.

It is still a further object to provide a labeling device of minimal size, having a reduction in the size of the indicating characters on a matrix wheel, but wherein a cover is provided with a window therein which has a transparent enlarging element, to cause the reduced size character to be readily seen during operation.

Further purposes and objects of the invention will appear as the specification proceeds.

The foregoing objects are accomplished by providing a labeling device for imprinting characters on a belt wherein the device includes a body, a lever pivotally mounted on the body, a spring for normally urging the body and lever apart, a pair of rotary wheel members mounted in closely arranged and cooperative relationship on the body for imparting selected characters to said belt as the body and lever are pressed together, a member for guiding the belt to the imprinting position, a first wheel for drivably engaging the belt, and a second wheel having teeth thereon, both of said wheels being rigidly and coaxially interconnected, a threaded pin threadably and rotatably received in the lever and substantially parallel to the direction of motion between the body and the lever, a head at the opposite end of the pin, a lateral arm on the head, and means for stopping linear movement of thepin caused by pivoting of the lever relative to the body, the pivoting of the lever towards the body rotating the pin and thereby moving the arm out of normal contact with one of the teeth of the second wheel and pivoting movement of the lever away from the body rotating the arm in an opposite direction to rotate the second wheel and thereby the first wheel an amount sufficient to move the belt in an amount at least needed for printing a single character thereon.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings, one specific embodiment of the invention is illustrated, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal upright sectional view of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, broken to show the guide means for the belt or ribbon to be stamped or printed, the means for placing the stamping or printing punches, and the viewing window with the magnifying element for the character to be stamped or printed;

FIG. 3 is a partially broken sectional view taken along the line IIIIII of FIG. 1 wherein there is shown the forward motion of the belt or ribbon moved by the toothed wheel, against which it is pressed by an elastic member;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line IVIV of FIG. 1 wherein there is shown the driving member, connected to the lever in the inoperative position, and the push arm of said member located between the teeth of the motor wheel;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, wherein there is shown how the driving member moves in its first operative step;

FIG. 6 is a view like FIGS. 4 and 5 wherein the arrows indicate displacements, and wherein there is shown, in solid lines, the angular displacement of the driving member in response to the action of the lever and, in broken lines, the displacement of return of the motor wheel; and

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 5, wherein there is shown the relative displacement of return as between the lever of the operating device and the body of the machine, in response to the action of the spring which is mounted therebetween, as a result of which the operating member pushes or rotates a tooth of the motor wheel.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, a purse or pocket size, manual labeling machine according to the present invention includes a main hollow body having a stamping or printing portion 19 mounted on one of its ends. The printing portion b is actuated by an operating lever c. The lever c also hollow, is connected to the body a by an articulation defined by a transverse stem 1 on the lever received in cavities formed in side walls 2 of the body-u, as shown in FIG. 1. The body a surrounds the sides of the operating lever c. The lever c pivots within the body a in opposition to the tension provided by a spring 3 which is mounted inside adjacent cavities of both the body a and the lever c.

A feeding mechanism is mounted inside the body a for causing forward motion of a belt or ribbon mechanism d, which is ultimately responsive to the angular displacements of the operating lever c.

The stamping portion b is of known construction and is used in devices which stamp or print strips of metal and/0r plastic. The stamping portion b includes a matrix wheel 4 which is fixed to a wheel 5. The wheels 4 and 5 are coaxial and have central openings mounted in a mounting pin 6. The pin 6 is secured within the body a. The wheel or dial 4 has depressions in the outer edge of its lower face having characters 7 therein. The same character is shown at 8 in the upper face of the wheel. Arms of the extremities of the lower wheel 5 form projections 9 defining characters which project into the depressed characters 7 in the wheel 4, thereby effectively defining a plurality of cooperating type molds.

A cover 10 is fixed to the wheel 4 and has, in the stamping position, a window 11 with a magnifying element through which there can be seen an enlargement of the character 8 which is being stamped or printed on a belt or ribbon 15.

In a direction transverse to the body a and to the lever c, a member 12 defines a flat channel 13, between the matrix wheel 4 and the arms 5 of the wheel. The channel 13 acts to guide the running path of travel of the belt or ribbon 15 which is being stamped or printed. An elastic or deformable projection is located laterally above the channel 13. The projection 16 cooperates with peripheral indentations or notches 17 in the matrix wheel 4 to provide a stable position for the wheel 4 in the stamping position. The rim notches l7 correspond to the positions of the characters in the matrix wheel 4 and on the arms of the wheel 5. An opening 14 in the part 12 permits the character 9 on the arm to pass therethrough. An elastic tongue 18 on the channel defining part 12 has a curved lower part which acts to exert pressure on the belt or ribbon 15 running through the channel 13 and in the zone generally corresponding to the opening 14.

The points or projections 9 on the arms of the wheel 5 pass through theopening 14 by a pressure imparting element 19 which is unitary with the operating lever c. The pressure imparting element is desirably unitary with the lever c with lateral reinforcing walls 20, and with a leading or pressure applying edge.

A toothed wheel 21 is positioned under the tongue 18 in the opening 14 of the channel 13. The wheel 21 constitutes an important element of the belt feeding mechanism d. The belt or ribbon 15 is pressed against the wheel by the tongue 18 to avoid slippage, of the belt 15 and also to improve the drivability of the belt 15.

The wheel 21 is fixed to a shaft 22 which is transverse of the channel 13. The shaft 22 is unitary of motor wheel 23. Preferably, the shaft 22 and 23 are molded in one plastic piece. The motor wheel 23, as seen best in FIGS. 4, 5, and 7, has teeth of a specific shape. The teeth each have one side substantially radial, and the other side substantially normal to the radial side to define, between adjacent teeth, substantially right angles. As can be seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, the driving wheel 23 and the toothed wheel 21 are arranged with the common shaft 22 longitudinal of and laterally displaced toward the entry side of the belt or ribbon 15.

The body has an inner transverse wall 24 having a lower edge with a substantially perpendicular platform 25 projecting forwardly therefrom. A semi-circular opening is in the outer edge of the platform 25 which acts as a guide for a threaded pin or stem 26. The threaded pin or stem 26 preferably has thread sections of various sizes for firm interconnection with the threaded opening 27 in the projecting part 28. The member 28 is desirably molded unitary with the bottom of the operating lever c.

The upper end of the threaded pin 26 carries a head 29 which is interposed between the platform 25 and the upper wall of the body. The head diameter is greater than that of the pin or stem and an arm 30 projects laterally from the head 29. The head is responsive to the displacement of the lever c so as to feed the belt or ribbon 15.

The operation of the system is simple and effective. The arrangement of the threaded pin or stem 26 with its head 29 and the lateral arm 30 constitute the driving device of the mechanism d, without further parts.

In the inoperative position, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the head 29 rests against the platform 25, and arm 30 is located, with respect to the teeth of the motor wheel 23, on the side which is opposite the entrance for the belt 15.

When the lever c is pivoted or moved angularly, with respect to the body a and against the tension of the spring 3, the threaded pin 26 moves linearly with the lever until the head 29 contacts the inner face of the upper wall of the body a. When the lever c continues its displacement but as the pin 26 with its head 29 prevents continued motion, the threaded pin 26 is forced by the internal thread in the opening 27 of the portion 28 to rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 5, and also indicated by the arm 30 shown in FIG. 6. In this rotary movement, the arm 30 is moved to a position above the motor wheel 23.

In the first portion of the displacing movement of the lever c against the tension of the spring 3 and before the pressure imparting element 19 exerts any pressure on a projection 9 of an arm of the wheel against the belt located between the latter and the matrix wheel 4 for stamping or printing, the arm approximately reaches to the angular position indicated by shading in FIG. 6. This displacement is sufficient to permit the belt 15 to move forward by a predetermined space, even without imprinting. Thus, the lever c may or may not be selectively completely pressed to stamp or print the belt 15 and yet the belt does move.

In any one of the two described cases, upon the return from the position, either with or without printing, the belt is moved forward a pre-determined space or length, as shown in FIG. 3.

In the return displacement referring to FIG. 7, and the arm 30 in broken lines in FIG. 6, the action of the spring 3 tends to angularly separate the lever c from the body a in the direction indicated by the arrows. In the first step of this displacement, the threaded pin 26 and its head 29 longitudinally descend with the lever c. The arm 30 is then placed, with respect to the position of the motor wheel 23, on the entry side of the belt or ribbon 15. When the descending head 29 reaches the platform 25, which acts as a stop to prevent it from continuing motion with the lever c, the threaded pin 26 is rotated in a direction opposite to that previously indicated. The arm 30 pushes, in this motion, one of the teeth of the toothed wheel 23 so as to rotate the wheel 21 a sufficient amount to move the belt 15 forward. The wheel 21 is pressed against the belt 15 by the tongue 18. The belt 15 is moved a predetermined length to stamp another character on it, the mechanism d returning to the initial non-operative position.

Preferably, the arm 30 on the head 29 has one side face straight and its opposite face curved, as seen in FIG. 7. The arm 30 also constitutes a stop or lug part, in the final inoperative position, capable of preventing the inadvertent angular displacement of the motor wheel 23.

While in the foregoing there has been provided a detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is to be understood that all equivalents obvious to those skilled in the art are to be included within the scope of the invention as claimed.

1.R" ivice for imprinting characters on a belt, said device comprising, in combination, a body, a lever pivotally carried on said body, means for normally urging said body and said lever apart, a pair of substantially planar rotary members mounted in adjacent cooperating relationship on said body in a position substantially transverse to the direction of motion between said lever and said body, to impart selected characters to said belt at a selected position, means for guiding said belt to said selected position, means for moving said belt to and from said selected position and through said guiding means, said moving means including a first wheel for drivably engaging said belt and a second wheel with teeth thereon, said wheels being coaxial and rigidly interconnected, a threaded pin member rotatably mounted at one end in a position substantially transverse to said rotary members in said lever, and an arm projecting laterally from the upper end of said pin and being movable in and out of driving engagement with said second wheel, the pivoting of said lever toward said body rotating said pin and thereby rotating said arm out of normal contact with one of said teeth of said second wheel, and the return pivoting movement of said lever away from said body rotating said pin in an opposite direction to rotate said second wheel and thereby said first wheel in an amount sufficient to move said belt an amount needed for imprinting a single character on said belt.

2. The device of claim 1 including an elastic element on said guiding means spaced adjacent said first wheel, said belt being interposed between said elastic element and said first wheel, said elastic means causing said belt to be maintained in firm driving engagement with said first wheel.

3. The device of claim 1 including means for limiting the movement of said pin in both directions of its movement.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein said limit means includes an enlarged upper end on said pin, one wall on said body limiting movement of said pin in one direction by engaging the top of said enlarged end and an element on said body for engaging the underside of said enlarged end for limiting movement of said pin in the opposite direction of movement.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein said pin member includes threads of various sizes and is threadably received in a threaded opening defined in said lever.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein said first and second rotary members are coaxial with each other and are mounted on a common shaft, one of said rotary members having notches therein and means on said guiding means for engaging said notches so as to position said wheels accurately prior to imprinting characters on said belt.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein a cover extends over said wheel, and a magnifying window is provided in said cover over a character which corresponds to the particular character being imprinted.

8. A device of claim 1 wherein said lever includes a pressure applying portion for causing imprinting of characters on said belt in response to angular displacement of said lever toward said body, and cooperating means on said body and said lever for providing said pivoted interconnection therebetween. 

1. A device for imprinting characters on a belt, said device comprising, in combination, a body, a lever pivotally carried on said body, means for normally urging said body and said lever apart, a pair of substantially planar rotary members mounted in adjacent cooperating relationship on said body in a position substantially transverse to the direction of motion between said lever and said body, to impart selected characters to said belt at a selected position, means for guiding said belt to said selected position, means for moving said belt to and from said selected position and through said guiding means, said moving means including a first wheel for drivably engaging said belt and a second wheel with teeth thereon, said wheels being coaxial and rigidly interconnected, a threaded pin member rotatably mounted at one end in a position substantially transverse to said rotary members in said lever, and an arm projecting laterally from the upper end of said pin and being movable in and out of driving engagement with said second wheel, the pivoting of said lever toward said body rotating said pin and thereby rotating said arm out of normal contact with one of said teeth of said second wheel, and the return pivoting movement of said lever away from said body rotating said pin in an opposite direction to rotate said second wheel and thereby said first wheel in an amount sufficient to move said belt an amount needed for imprinting a single character on said belt.
 2. The device of claim 1 including an elastic element on said guiding means spaced adjacent said first wheel, said belt being interposed between said elastic element and said first wheel, said elastic means causing said belt to be maintained in firm drivIng engagement with said first wheel.
 3. The device of claim 1 including means for limiting the movement of said pin in both directions of its movement.
 4. The device of claim 3 wherein said limit means includes an enlarged upper end on said pin, one wall on said body limiting movement of said pin in one direction by engaging the top of said enlarged end and an element on said body for engaging the underside of said enlarged end for limiting movement of said pin in the opposite direction of movement.
 5. The device of claim 1 wherein said pin member includes threads of various sizes and is threadably received in a threaded opening defined in said lever.
 6. The device of claim 1 wherein said first and second rotary members are coaxial with each other and are mounted on a common shaft, one of said rotary members having notches therein and means on said guiding means for engaging said notches so as to position said wheels accurately prior to imprinting characters on said belt.
 7. The device of claim 1 wherein a cover extends over said wheel, and a magnifying window is provided in said cover over a character which corresponds to the particular character being imprinted.
 8. A device of claim 1 wherein said lever includes a pressure applying portion for causing imprinting of characters on said belt in response to angular displacement of said lever toward said body, and cooperating means on said body and said lever for providing said pivoted interconnection therebetween. 